Installation for continuous ingot casting

ABSTRACT

In a continuous ingot casting installation, the frame of an upper set of guide rollers for the ingot is supported directly on, and is rigidly fixed to, the frame of a lower set of ingot guide rollers, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers being supported on a base support. The ingot mold is guided for oscillating movement in the direction of the casting axis, and the ingot mold as well as the fixed elements guiding it during oscillation are carried by the frame of the upper set of guide rollers.

United States Patent [191 Pietryka Dec. 18, 1973 1 INSTALLATION FOR CONTINUOUS INGOT CASTING [75] Inventor: Joseph Pietryka, Paris, France [73] Assignee: Fives LilIe-Cail, Paris. France [22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 215,321

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 8, 1971 France 7100416 [52] U.S. Cl. 164/282 [51] Int. Cl .7 822d 11/14 [58] Field of Search 164/282, 273 R, 273 M,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,495,651 2/1970 Rokop 164/282 X 3,370,641 2/1968 Greenberger 164/282 3,421,572 1/1969 Reihman n 3,166,803 1/1965 Ruckstuhl.... 3,167,829 2/1965 Hess 164/283 X 3.446.270 5/1969 Michelson 164/282 3,542,117 11/1970 .1 164/282 X 3,542,118 11/1970 164/282 X 3,550,674 12/1970 164/282 3.551865 1/1971 164/282 X 3,627.026 12/1971 164/282 3.409.070 11/1968 Ciochetto 164/282 X Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner.lohn S. Brown A!t0rneyKurt Kelman [57] ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures INSTALLATION FOR CONTINUOUS INGOT CASTING The present invention relates to improvements in a continuous ingot casting installation which has guide means for the cast ingots, which guide means includes an upper and a lower set of guide rollers each mounted in a respective'frame and the guide roller frames being arranged end-to-end. In such installations for producing flat ingots, for instance, for making sheets of steel, means is provided for imparting an oscillating movement to the ingot mold in the direction of the casting axis, and fixed elements guide the oscillating movement of the inot mold. The frame of the lower setof guide rollers is affixed to a support or base.

In such installations, the ingot mold and the frames for the guide rollers mounted therebelow to hold and guide the cast ingot are mounted on a support base. The ingot mold is mounted at an upper part of the support base on an oscillating table or platform which is guided by fixed elements rigidly affixed to the support base. These fixed elements are arranged to impose upon the ingot mold an oscillating movement in the direction of the casting axis.,Each' set of guide rollers comprises a rigid frame forming a straight or arcuate girder, depending on the type of casting, whereon the guide rollers are mounted to guide and hold the ingot, the frame being affixed to the support base. Thus, the ingot mold and the guide means are mounted independently of each other on the support base. When the support base becomes deformed, which is inevitable under operating conditions, due to the thermal expansion, the ingot mold and the guide means therefor risk moving out of alignment. If this occurs, the ingot is deflected as it leaves the mold and enters the guide, which considerably increases the danger of tearing the solidified wall of the ingot, which is very thin at this point. The same may be true at the point of junction of the two sets of guide rollers since even at that point the solidified wall of the cast ingot is still thin, the upper set of rollers usually extending only a short distance.

The above and other disadvantages are avoided in accordance with this invention by supporting the frame of the upper set of guide rollers directly on the frame of the lower set of guide rollers and rigidly fixing it thereto while the ingot mold and the fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement thereof are carried by the frame of the upper set of guide rollers.

In a preferred embodiment, the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is of rectangular cross section and the guide rollers are mounted within the rectangular periphery of the frame. Furthermore, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers advantageously has a horizontal support surface at the upper end thereof and the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is fixed to the horizontal surface.

The two frames may be interconnected by fastening elements which may be rapidly removed, such as cotter pins.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I is a schematic elevational side view of one embodiment of a continuous ingot casting installation, with an arcuate guide path for the production of steel billets;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section along the median plane of the ingot mold and the upper part of the ingot guide;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 and showing a modification.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts operating in a like manner in all figures, FIG. 1 shows an arcuate guide means for holding and guiding cast ingots, the guide means including a lower set 10 of guide rollers and an upper set 12 of guide rollers. The lower set of guide rollers includes a rigid frame wherein two cooperating rows of guide rollers 14 are mounted. As shown, the frame is connected to a support base at two points: at its lower end, the frame rests on a fixed axis 16 while its upper end is supported by a gliding joint 18 enabling the frame to yield to thermal expansion.

The guide rollers 20 of the upper set are mounted in frame 22 which is carried by the frame of the lower set 10 of guide rollers and is rigidly fixed thereto, for instance by bolts. As is conventional and forms no part of the present invention, the position of the rollers 20 in frame 22 may be adjusted.

The upper part of the frame 22 forms a rectangle to which are affixed the bracket elements 24 which guide the oscillating movement of the ingot mold. The guide elements carry two vertical rows of rollers 26 which guide the lugs 28 of an oscillating table 30 supporting the ingot mold, the lugs 28 being positioned between the rollers 26. With this arrangement, the ingot mold may be oscillated in the direction of the casting axis while being prevented from being laterally displaced.

The oscillating table 30 is supported by two levers 32 pivoting about fulcrum 34 mounted on the frame 22 of the upper set of guide rollers. These levers rest on shock absorbers 36 positioned between frame 22 and the levers.

The free end of the levers is connected to a mechanical or hydraulic means (not shown) for reciprocating the levers so as to impart the desired oscillating movement to the ingot mold on table 30.

Since the upper frame 22 and the guide elements 24 are directly and rigidly fixed to the frame of the lower set 10 of guide rollers, they follow the deformations of the lower frame so that any lateral displacement of the ingot mold in respect of the upper guide rollers or between the two sets of guide rollers is avoided.

In the generally similar modification of the installation shown in FIG. 4, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers has a horizontal support surface 40 at the upper end thereof whereon is fixed the frame 22' of the upper set of guide rollers. This makes it easier to assemble the two frames, the interconnection being provided by bolts 42 fixed to the lower frame and engaging aligned holes in the base of the upper frame 22', cotter pins then being engaged in diametrically extending bores of the bolts to hold the two frames together.

The conduits 46 of the cooling circuit for the ingot mold and the upper guide frame are connected to the feed lines for the cooling medium by a joint 44 which may be rapidly disconnected so that the unit formed by the upper guide frame 22' and the oscillating ingot mold support may be readily dismantled.

I claim:

1. An installation for continuous ingot casting, comprising 1. an ingot mold,

2. means for oscillating the ingot mold in the direction of the casting axis,

3. fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement of the ingot mold,

4. a guide means for a cast ingot, the guide means including an upper and a lower set of guide rollers each mounted in a respective frame and the guide roller frames being arranged end-to-end,

a. the frame of the upper set of guide rollers being solely supported directly on, and being rigidly fixed to, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers, and

b. the ingot mold and the fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement thereof being carried by the frame of the upper set of guide rollers, and

5. a support base supporting the frame of the lower set of guide rollers to allow thermal expansion of the upper portion of said lower guide roller frame.

2. The installation of claim 1, wherein the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is of rectangular cross section and the guide rollers are mounted within the rectangular periphery of the frame.

3. The installation of claim 1, wherein the frame of the lower set of guide rollers has a horizontal support surface at the upper end thereof and the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is fixed to the horizontal surface. 

1. An installation for continuous ingot casting, comprising
 1. an ingot mold,
 2. means for oscillating the ingot mold in the direction of the casting axis,
 3. fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement of the ingot mold,
 4. a guide means for a cast ingot, the guide means including an upper and a lower set of guide rollers each mounted in a respective frame and the guide roller frames being arranged end-to-end, a. the frame of the upper set of guide rollers being solely supported directly on, and being rigidly fixed to, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers, and b. the ingot mold and the fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement thereof being carried by the frame of the upper set of guide rollers, and
 5. a support base supporting the frame of the lower set of guide rollers to allow thermal expansion of the upper portion of said lower guide roller frame.
 2. means for oscillating the ingot mold in the direction of the casting axis,
 2. The installation of claim 1, wherein the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is of rectangular cross section and the guide rollers are mounted within the rectangular periphery of the frame.
 3. The installation of claim 1, wherein the frame of the lower set of guide rollers has a horizontal support surface at the upper end thereof and the frame of the upper set of guide rollers is fixed to the horizontal surface.
 3. fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement of the ingot mold,
 4. a guide means for a cast ingot, the guide means including an upper and a lower set of guide rollers each mounted in a respective frame and the guide roller frames being arranged end-to-end, a. the frame of the upper set of guide rollers being solely supported directly on, and being rigidly fixed to, the frame of the lower set of guide rollers, and b. the ingot mold and the fixed elements guiding the oscillating movement thereof being carried by the frame of the upper set of guide rollers, and
 5. a support base supporting the frame of the lower set of guide rollers to allow thermal expansion of the upper portion of said lower guide roller frame. 